A Thousand Times Over is Less than He Deserves
by Kuruk
Summary: What if Amir would've overcome his fears that night? What if he would've saved Hassan from Assef? By overcoming his fears Amir just might've changed their future, intertwining his and Hassan's fates more than what was meant to be.


Well, hi Kite Runner readers! My name is Kuruk, and until now I've stuck to writing stories for Harvest Moon.

However, when I read the Kite Runner, I was so enthralled by the story that I wanted to write a fic about this awesome story. But not just any fic..

Have you ever wondered what would've happened if Amir would've saved Hassan from Assef that day? Well, I certainly have, and while I know that the whole outcome of the book would be drastically changed I knew that I had to write this...

Yeah, it'll be lacking in drama and the whole redemption aspect that Amir is tortured by, but I'm giving it my best shot...

So, enjoy! Hi to any Harvest Moon readers that followed me here! Enjoy too!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Kite Runner or the lines that I took straight from it; maybe all I own is this plot and some OCs that will be added to the story.

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Prologue: A Thousand Times Over 

Hassan stopped and picked up a rock.

Assef flinched. He began to take a step back, stopped. "Last chance, Hazara."

Hassan's answer was to cock the arm that held the rock.

"Whatever you wish," Assef unbuttoned his winter coat, took it off, folded it slowly and deliberately. He placed it against the wall.

Time seemed to slow down to a snail's pace. Why did he have to be so damn brave? Why was he always so damn loyal? Why did he treat me so well when all I did was ridicule and ignore him? I hated him for that! Standing by me when no on else did; for having the good father, for stealing my father's love, for that smile he gave me whenever he saw me…

Memories from the deepest depths of my past flashed before my eyes; from now to the beginning.

I saw everything; how Baba ignored me, how I'd always play with Hassan, how Ali would call us down from our tree, angry with us for causing mischief, how I'd always tested Hassan, ridiculed him.

I… I think I saw the truth. In the depth of my consciousness, in the moment that it mattered the most… I think God showed me what I needed to see. I knew at that moment that Baba was wrong; about everything.

There was a God, and he had given me a gift. It wasn't my wealth, or having a father I could be proud of, or having won the contest earlier; it was none of the things that I had always begged God to grant me.

No, it was the one thing that I had always ignored, spurned, been jealous of… and his face appeared more than anyone else; more even than Baba.

And the greatest sin… it was most certainly not theft. The greatest sin was to disregard a gift that God had given you, to just turn it aside and ask for something else when you have everything that you need right beside you, willing to give himself up for you.

And when my memories arrived at the end; at the beginning, I saw his face there; my first memory; the Chinese doll's face with those green eyes, smiling at me as if I was all that mattered.

And then time returned to normal, and I knew what I had to do.

"I've changed my mind," Assef said. "I'm letting you keep the kite, Hazara. I'll let you keep it so it will always remind you of what I'm about to do."

He charged, Hassan cocked his arm farther back…

I stepped into the alley, my heart pounding in my chest as if it wanted to tear itself from my chest. I closed my eyes; I knew that if I did this, everything would change… But how could I stay still while I let the person who'd devoted himself to me be hurt?

_It's my turn now, Hassan… Let me protect you… this time._

"_Stop!_" I screamed, thinking that my voice sounded much weaker than I knew it did…

I opened my eyes…

Assef had turned around, and his eyes had widened in shock and surprise. His two lackeys looked at Assef in just as much surprise as he was in, silently questioning him. He had been wrong. I'd come for Hassan. He mattered to me…

My eyes fluttered to Hassan, who still held the rock in his arm. I could never to this day place the expression on his face. It was… it was… joy, sorrow, protectiveness, elation… It was a cocktail of so many emotions that I could not determine what it was Hassan was feeling.

"Amir." Assef said, face frozen in shock.

"Amir agha," Hassan said from behind them, he smiled at me and stepped out of the way, let me see the kite, "I promised, now I'm going to fulfill it for you," his face was renewed with new convictions, and he cocked his arm again.

"D-don't call me that, you idiot," I snapped.

Hassan looked hurt, shocked, as if he'd been bitten by a harmless puppy. I smiled nervously at him, trying to reassure him, tell him all that I had learned at that moment. "It's Amir. Just Amir, okay Hassan?"

His eyes welled up with tears, and damn it, so did mine. Until that moment, we had never been closer… because I had not allowed it. I had been jealous, afraid… But now I had finally returned the gesture.

And at that moment, I no longer cared that Baba favored him, that he had a father that cared for him hundreds of times more than mine ever would me, that he smiled at me and I never felt deserving of that.

Maybe now, maybe now I could finally be deserving of that selfless love and loyalty that Hassan had offered back to me all my life.

And maybe I could begin returning the act.

Assef began to laugh; lowly at first, then loudly, madly as if he had truly lost his mind. I had always known that he had madness in him; that he was a sociopath that loved to watch others suffer; one who could not feel love or friendship. I had never felt anything for Assef but fear and hate, but for some reason that made me feel mad myself, I pitied him then, for not being capable of feeling things.

I thought that it would be a fate worse than death; being Assef…

"How cute," Assef spat, "Little Amir comes running to save his little Hazara bitch," my face hardened, "It is really touching to see you two; willing to throw everything away for _each other_," he spat the last two words out, then he turned serious, "I was going to do you a favor Amir. I was going to show this Hazara dog his place for you; chase him away. But it seems," his eyes were filled with such _hate_ just then, "that you insist to keep this trash by your side. All those that associate with the filth are filth themselves! My vision of Afghanistan involves the cleansi-,"

"You will _not_ call him that anymore!" I yelled. Assef recoiled as if struck; I had never interrupted him before, never challenged him like this… No one but Hassan had ever done that, and now he had come for Hassan and was faced by another challenger.

The other two looked at Assef now, confusion written all over their faces. We; Hassan and I, had challenged him. I knew that he would hurt me; hurt me badly. I had never fought anyone before in my life and a part of my insisted that I be fearful; that I run and leave Hassan to face this monster by himself.

But that was only my rational half; the half that would have and has driven me to any lengths to protect myself. But another side I never knew existed was in control; a side that I had never seen in the twelve years of my life.

Like Hassan's other face that poked to the surface every once in a while, this side had come from within me so unexpectedly that I doubted that the person in control was _me_. _Me_; the boy my father said would never stand up to anyone, _me_; the boy that had spent his life hiding behind his books while another fought his battles for him…

_It was me_.

Maybe this me was Baba's side, taking root at last and sprouting when someone dear to me needed that part of me most. For the first time in my life, I felt totally at ease with myself; I had no qualms, no regrets… I was _proud_ of myself for doing this.

"Amir…" Hassan said, looking at me worriedly, "Run from here… Please, leave me to deal with them."

Assef laughed, taunting me. His friends laughed uncomfortable along with me; but I could care less. My shoulders sagged, and my eyes fell to my feet.

"If I asked you to… would you stay and fight for me?" I asked Hassan, looking up to meet my first memory's face.

He smiled at me, and just like he had done all or lives, he spoke the six words I already knew he'd say. "For you, a thousand times over."

I nodded, but did not move. I sensed that I was shivering, bile rose in my throat. I was really going to do this, wasn't I?

"A thousand times over…" I murmured, not paying Assef any mind as he jeered at us, twirled his stainless steel knuckles as he watched this drama unfold, "I'm not leaving…" Assef fell silent, I knew that Hassan was going to protest, but I spoke before him, "You've always told me that you'd do anything for me a thousand times over…" I looked him in the eyes, saw his fear; his fear for _me_, "Would you give me that chance?"

I thought he'd say no; refuse to let me try because he didn't want me to get hurt. But he surprised me; he nodded, slowly and reluctantly, but he agreed nonetheless.

Assef laughed, cruelly. "Well then, do I have to listen to anymore of your pathetic talking or can we just get on to the teaching?"

I ignored him, my eyes locked on Hassan. As one, we nodded, and charged.

For once I was not afraid.

For once I felt truly proud of myself.

For once I felt satisfied that I had made the right choice.

For the first time ever, I felt freed; I didn't care that Baba would be angry that I did not return with the kite…

And for once, I think I was truly whole…

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Like it? Note that this is a long-fic that I will try to update as much as my hectic schedule permits. Reviews are always appreciated! 


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